What this book covers
Chapter 1, An Introduction to Threat Hunting, introduces you to the concept of threat hunting and how it fits into an organization's cybersecurity structure. This information will allow everyone to begin their journey from the same starting point and remove any preconceived notions of what threat hunting is and is not.
Chapter 2, Requirements and Motivations, covers how to identify how and where threat hunting could fit into an organization's priorities and requirements. While this type of cyber defense function is important, it may not fit your organization's business priorities.
Chapter 3, Team Construct, covers the required roles and responsibilities of the various members that make up a threat hunting team. Regardless of whether the team is made up of a single individual or 20, the same basic roles must be fulfilled.
Chapter 4, Communication Breakdown, covers all of the communication methods and requirements throughout the life cycle of a threat hunt. This fundamental concept is where many teams falter, causing chaos and uncertainty to take a foothold throughout the mission.
Chapter 5, Methodologies, covers various methodologies and processes that teams should employ throughout the life cycle of a hunt. This will enable the team to have an understandable, repeatable process that they will be able to grow from.
Chapter 6, Threat Intelligence, covers one of the most overlooked areas of a threat hunt, which is the inclusion of threat intelligence.
Chapter 7, Planning, covers all of the phases and considerations of a threat hunting planning cycle. Many phases can be easily prepared ahead of time, while some will need to be finely tuned to each mission.
Chapter 8, Defending the Defenders, teaches you how to protect your customer and yourself from the malicious intentions of the adversary that's being hunted. There are numerous ways a hunt introduces risk to a network, and precautions need to be taken ahead of time to ensure that risk is mitigated.
Chapter 9, Hardware and Toolsets, talks you through the tools that threat hunters need to accomplish a hunt. These tools are both hardware and software, with a myriad of available options. The network requirements drive which tools can be used, and customer requirements will inform which tools are allowed.
Chapter 10, Data Analysis, covers data analysis. Data analysis doesn't begin and end with an analyst looking at a screen. Data must ultimately be collected, prepared, and reviewed by a human. Automation of data review is the cornerstone of a mature threat hunting team, because it allows more time for humans to find something interesting. Communicating data requirements, discoveries, and challenges is also vital to a mature team.
Chapter 11, Documentation, covers the importance of proper documentation and how it plays into every facet of a hunt as this is the only communication mechanism the team employs which will exist well beyond the hunts conclusion. Documentation internal to the team and with the mission partner will establish the boundaries and expectations needed to ensure all involved parties' requirements can be met.
Chapter 12, Deliverables, covers the types of deliverables and their methods of delivery that are normally produced in the life cycle of a threat hunt. This is where a team will truly stand out to all stakeholders within an organization as these items will continue to tell the hunting story long after all of the members have moved on to other things.
Chapter 13, Post-Hunt Activity and Maturing a Team, covers all of the events and activities that should be conducted when wrapping up a hunt but are easily forgotten by an immature or busy team. These are just a few areas that will allow a team to identify weak points and grow a collection of people into a finely tuned threat hunting capability.
Appendix, is intended to be a reference for the rest of the book that will allow you to quickly identify any items not fully understood. Additionally, sample checklists and playbooks discussed throughout the book can be found here.
